The district received 170 reports of harassment, intimidation and bullying last year. Officials also reported a decline in student suspensions. Joshua Chuy, Dover School District's coordinator of the Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying program. (Photo/Dover School District) Reports of harassment, intimidation and bullying increased nearly 29% in Dover Public Schools last school year, but fewer cases were confirmed after investigations, according to figures presented to the

Operatic version of Edgar Allen Poe spooky short story kicks off Halloween celebration on Sunday, October 25. Get in the Halloween spirit at The Amp for a haunting chamber-opera adaptation of The Tell-Tale Heart, Edgar Allan Poe’s classic tale of horror and suspense. This co-production with the Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey will bring a modern, operatic take on Poe’s iconic short story to new audiences. To kick things off, the audience will enjoy a prelude of select pieces,

Join pop-up 'Jazz & Swag' event starts at 5 p.m. Friday, October 23. Richards Mercantile is thrilled to kick off a monthly jazz series at The Amp for "Jazz & Swag" event on Friday, October 23! There will be a vendor Pop-Up Event leading up to The Amp's Jazz & Soul show featuring The PJ Collective, a dynamic ensemble of area musicians. The entire event will be held in The Amp, Dover's new arts center. The "swag" vendor pop-up is free, open to all and will start at 5 p.m. The j

Hannah Olmo started with one dance class. Eight years later, her program has grown into something much bigger — and earned her the state's highest teaching honor. Hannah Olmo accepts flowers last Spring when she was named Morris County Teacher of the Year. Last week, she was named N.J. Teacher of the Year. (Photo/Karen Fucito) Eight years ago, Hannah Olmo arrived at Dover High School with a goal: give students a place where they could express themselves, build confidence and

A busy downtown, overcrowded housing, and looming developments all contribute to challenges. Council may decide tonight. The parking-meter issue remains unsettled as Dover Town Council modifies a variety of challenges. (Photo/DOVERNOW.com) The description sounds almost quaint: “Tightly packed, pedestrian-scaled neighborhoods.” The phrase is from a planning report called the Municipal Self-Assessment (MSA), which the Town of Dover first filed in 2008 and updated in 2022. The M

All ensouraged to join 29th annual 'Red, White & Blue Sunday' service on September 20. Faith Family Fellowship Baptist Church will celebrate the 29th annual "Red, White & Blue" special day of appreciation to honor the men and women who serve the Dover and surounding communities as Police, Fire, and EMS workers. It will be held on Sunday, September 20 at Faith Family Fellowship on 126 Mt. Pleasant Avenue in Dover. The events are as follows: 9 a.m. continental breakfast 10 a.m.

North Jersey organization's next steps depend on resident feedback to create an action plan. Story and photos by Heath Rumble Jason Rowe and Fabi Soto addressed the people who came to The Amp Arts to explain how Norwescap can help Dover get assistance. Fabi Soto and Jason Rowe wanted to hear suggestions from Dover residents on how to revitalize Dover. The pair from Norwescap gained valuable insights from community members already connected to local helpers. Norwescap, short f

Mutual Morris offers Solidarity Market event on Saturday, August 22. The kids in our homes might not want to hear it, but it's almost time to get back in the classroom. With virtually every local household facing some form of financial challenge, parents are learning how to find solutions for stretching their dollars. Enter Mutual Morris and the Dover Free Public Library. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 22, Mutual Morris, a local mutual aid group that frequently ho

Monday ceremony will celebrate new chapter for legendary program after one-year move to Madison . Joe Kubert had his hand in creating many comic-book storylines of heroic feats and dramatic comebacks for iconic brands. Then he and his wife, Muriel, moved to Dover in 1976 and opened The Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, Inc. Forty-nine years later, a pair of former students of the world-renowned school bought the school and moved from its weathered former home to s

Club Colombia is accepting donations to help those in need. Monday's powerful earthquake in Western Colombia has caused significant death and destruction in dozens of cities and towns in the region. President Abelardo de la Espriella says the death toll is at more than 180 people and rising, with more than 4,000 people missing, and more than 1,500 buildings and homes destroyed or damaged. This devastating event has left the significant Colombian population in Dover searching

Creators and fans enjoy 'Basement Bash' to celebrate the imaginative spirit. Story and photos by Heath Rumble The creative spirit filled The Amp in the Richards Building during the 'Basement Bash' to close the Fourth Annual Dover Art Week. Dover Art Week, celebrating the local creatives community, got a joyful sendoff at The Amp, a new arts center and performance space that recently opened in the Richards Building on Blackwell Street. The third installment of the "Basement Ba

Latest hands-on Art Week event gives new artists inspiration to create. Story and photos by Heath Rumble Budding sculptors got their hands dirty for a class during Dover Art Week celebrations at the Richards Building. In the historic halls of one of Dover’s oldest buildings, an eager crowd buzzed in anticipation of Sulpture Night during Dover Art Week activities Wednesday night. As organizers, assistants and interns from The Amp — Dover’s new arts center — set up tables and c

Fourth annual festival celebrates the community's creatives and their supporters. Dover Art Week got off to a busy start last Saturday at the Richards Building. By Heath Rumble/Photos by Walter F. Rodriguez The fourth annual Dover Art Week kicked off Sunday afternoon with a sidewalk festival in Meridia Transit Plaza in Downtown. The convergence of artists and musicians, dubbed "Art on Blackwell", represented the creative spirit, with people contributing individual works to co

Margarita Cielo Balbuena released after two months in Elizabeth Detention Center. Margarita Cielo Balbuena (left) is reunited with her sons,Saul and Osmar Ruiz, and husband, Filemon Ruiz Cielo. After two months of incarceration in the Elizabeth Detention Center, Margarita Cielo Balbuena was back where she feels at home -- Tres Hermanos, the Rockaway Mexican restaurant she owns with her husband, Filemon Ruiz Cielo. The couple, detained in a harrowing traffic stop by ICE agents

Town Council members Wittner and Mendez are hosting a 'Know Your Rights' event on Wednesday, June 15. Dover Town Council members Sandra Wittner and Daniella Mendez are hosting a workshop for local residents and members of the local business community to address issues regarding ICE incidents and immigration awareness. They are hosting a "Know Your Rights" workshop to help community members better understand their rights. The goal of this workshop is to provide information and

Hundreds rally at JFK Park to oppose ICE activity in Dover. The no-ICE rally drew a multi-generational crowd. (Photos by DOVERNOW.com) At 11:45 Sunday morning, a young man standing at the southeast corner of JFK Park was managing to coax a semi-melodic tune from a small air horn. He waved a sign that read, "IMMIGRANTS MAKE EVERYTHING GREAT." He motivated passing drivers on Route 46 to honk their horns in solidarity. "I am here to support the community," he said. He didn't wan

He and his wife, Margarita Cielo Balbuena, were arrested by ICE agents in Dover on May 23. Filemon Ruiz Cielo and Margarita Cielo Balbuena were sent to Elizabeth Detention Center after being stopped by ICE agents on May 23 in Dover. A Dover man taken into ICE custody with his wife on the way to their Rockaway restaurant was released Monday after more than a month in the Elizabeth Detention Center. Dover residents Filemon Ruiz Cielo and Margarita Cielo Balbuena were taken into

In a Dover shop, Sal Lepre preserves a disappearing craft, a life defined by purpose rather than profit. By Mariana Simioni | Photos by Karen Fucito When Sal Lepre isn't fixing footwear, he's reading the paper and watching the world go by from his chair. Entering Sal's Shoe Repair is like stepping through a portal into post-WWII Naples, Italy, where a nine-year-old boy is learning the trade that would shape his future. Snapping back to Dover 2026, Sal Lepre's shop smells of

Photos show agents struggling with Filemon Ruiz Cielo and Margarita Cielo Balbuena on Saturday morning. Osmar Ruiz reaches for his father, Filemon Ruiz Cielo, who is held down by three ICE agents. (Photo/Karol Ruiz) Dover residents Filemon Ruiz Cielo and Margarita Cielo Balbuena were taken into ICE custody around 10 a.m Saturday near the intersection of Park Avenue and Hillcrest Avenue. Margarita Cielo Balbuena, right, records her husband, Filemon Ruiz Cielo, being restra

Township, state, and federal officials demand environmental review for former warehouse. Protestors voiced their opposition to the proposed conversion of a Roxbury warehouse into an ICE detention center. (DOVERNOW.com photo/Karen Fucito) The proposed use of a 470,000-square-foot Roxbury Township warehouse by the Department of Homeland Security for an ICE facility has been put on hold pending a review of the environmental impact of housing up to 1,500 detainees in the region.